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The Simpson-Bowles plan leaves $15 billion of free money on the table by not raising alcohol taxes. In addition to the revenue, higher taxes would improve health and safety and reduce crime.
Archive for the ‘Microeconomics and policy analysis’ Category
November 11th, 2010
October 27th, 2010
Category: Microeconomics and policy analysis
I understand why mortgage-documentation fustercluck could be very bad news for the banks. But can someone explain to me why slowing down the foreclosure process would tend to depress housing prices? It ought to increase them in the short run. Last time I checked, reducing supply tends to increase the market-clearing price, and fewer foreclosures [...]
September 3rd, 2010
Jersey Electricity and Jersey Gas fight over marginal carbon emissions from imported electricity.
September 3rd, 2010
Category: Microeconomics and policy analysis
The NYT has a long story on Plumpy’Nut, which engages issues about intellectual property and domestic-sourcing rules for foreign aid.
August 24th, 2010
I try to fly only on a single airline so as to be treated less like an anonymous bovine by a company that somewhat values my business. But I got stuck the other day flying an airline on which I have no elite status, and thereby discovered that some airlines no longer allow free “same [...]
August 24th, 2010
On my current trip to South Dakota, I felt thirsty as I waited for my plane. I walked to one end of the terminal and did not see a water fountain. I walked to the other end and did not see one either. I was sure I had missed it, so I repeated a loop [...]
August 19th, 2010
Category: Income distribution, Microeconomics and policy analysis, Moral philosophy, Religion, Strange world
The Seven Deadly Sins aren’t very deadly — and that’s a very good thing if you’re in the public policy business.
June 19th, 2010
Category: Microeconomics and policy analysis
What do banks, oil companies, public schools, and universities have in common?
May 23rd, 2010
De-regulating airfares wasn’t a far-out libertarian idea; it was a mainstream liberal idea with Ted Kennedy as its key sponsor. A real libertarian would have wanted to eliminate airline safety rules.
